The Climb
by PetalMedic
Summary: Life, as Sakura had recently found out, was rarely fair. "Do me a favor." "What?" "Lie to me. Just this once. Tell me you love me." "No." It wasn't supposed to go like this. What started out as a happy Christmas vacation, ended as a tragedy. AU


Summary: Life, as Sakura had recently found out, was rarely fair. "Do me a favor." "What?" "Lie to me. Just this once. Tell me you love me." "No." It wasn't supposed to go like this. What started out as a happy Christmas vacation, ended as a tragedy.

Genre: Angst/Tragedy

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

* * *

Christmas break. The salvation of all students. Everyone was rejoicing, excited to go on their trip.

It was supposed to be a fun vacation.

All the seniors – Tenten, Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura – had decided to go to Mount Rainier during Christmas break. They were going to climb to the summit and then post pictures and brag to their friends on Instagram. Kakashi and Kurenai, their literature teacher and art teacher respectively, had heard their plan and joined.

It was the perfect get-together.

The seniors and their teachers spent one night at the hotel, relaxing and enjoying their time away from school. "Even teachers get tired of school. Dealing with all of you every day is very frustrating," Kurenai claims.

Naruto danced around, a goofy grin present on his face, "We're going to the summit, believe it!" Hinata, his girlfriend, voiced her enthusiasm also, albeit more quietly.

"Dobe, stop jumping around like an idiot," grumbled Sasuke.

Sakura laughed.

This was going to be the best Christmas.

* * *

It wasn't supposed to go like this.

The day was clear when they had started their climb. The climb was easier than Sakura had expected, and the weather on Mount Rainier had been forgiving. The sky was clear blue, and the mountain was not as cold as Sakura had thought it would be, given the stories she heard. Their two guides were friendly and humorous, making the climb more enjoyable.

Everyone joked and laughed along the way, and the slight fatigue did not bother anyone.

The first and second night went without a hitch.

Then the storm struck during the third day like a snake.

Everything was fine – and Sakura meant fine as in perfect; the sun was shining and even though it was chiller in the upper parts of the mountain, it was not unbearably so – and then – boom – just like that, they stepped into this crazy blizzard.

Everything happened so quickly. One moment they were climbing up to the summit, and the next – strong winds blew everywhere, almost knocking Sakura off her feet, snow blocked her line of vision, and everyone was scattered.

The winds were too strong for them to hear anything except the sound of the storm, so even if they were calling out for each other from a mere six feet away, they would not have heard the others. Panicking, Sakura stumbled blindly forward – or maybe backwards, she didn't know – unable to see anything except blinding white.

A hand shot out to grab her arm.

Sakura was yanked sideways, and losing her balance – which was already precarious because of the storm – she bumped into the chest of none other than Uchiha Sasuke, her childhood best friend and crush.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

When Sakura found that she could actually see Sasuke, she looked and saw that they were taking shelter behind a huge tree, using the tree as a shield to block most of the wind for them. With Sasuke next to her, the fear she had diminished just a little. She didn't know what she would've done if she'd all alone.

"Thanks for saving me."

Sasuke looked troubled. "I didn't save you. We're not safe yet. This blizzard – it's not normal. It came without any warning. The sky was clear up until the storm."

Nodding, Sakura inquired, "Have you seen anyone else?"

Sasuke looked away from her. "No. I only saw you when you were stumbling right next to the tree. The pink hair and red jacket makes it easier to spot you."

She deflated. "Do you think they could've found shelter, too?"

He shook his head. "In this storm? No one can see shit in front of them. It was pure luck that I found this tree."

Sakura's chest tightened, and her terror returned tenfold. She started, "Then we should –"

Sasuke interrupted her. "Go and find the rest of them? Are you _insane_, Sakura? _You_ barely survived. The only reason you are not dead right now is because I pulled you here, and we may still be as good as dead anyway, and you_ still_ want to go outside?"

Sakura said nothing.

After a while, Sasuke sighed and said, "Sakura, come here." Not waiting for her response, Sasuke pulled Sakura to his side, wrapping one arm around her waist and another arm around the back of her head in a sort-of embrace. .

Sakura's face was pushed into the crook of Sasuke's neck. Her cheeks reddened despite the dangerous situation they were in.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Sakura stuttered.

Immediately, she thought, _oh god, I sounded like Hinata_.

Sasuke grunted, "Do you want to freeze?"

Hearing that, Sakura shut up and decided she might as well enjoy Sasuke's warmth.

* * *

The snowstorm stopped what felt like an eternity after, even though Sakura reasoned it must had been only a few hours. The blizzard was gone as suddenly as it had struck.

Sakura didn't feel any easier now than before, and judging from Sasuke's face, he didn't either. They now knew the mountain treacherous nature, and both knew better than to be relieved.

"It's too quiet," Sakura murmured.

"Hn."

"What do we do now?"

For the first time, Sakura saw Sasuke vulnerable and uncertain. "I don't know. We've lost all our tents and equipment. I suggest we start walking down. I'm sure rescuers are coming. We couldn't have been the only ones who got caught in the storm."

"Right. Sounds good to me," Sakura chirped, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere.

So, cold and tired, the duo began walking down. They had no idea where they were, or which direction they were going, but that didn't mattered, as long as they were going down the godforsaken Mount Rainier.

* * *

No sooner than half an hour later, a low rumbling sound broke the silence.

"Do you hear – Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura twisted her head to look at Sasuke. Sasuke, who was behind Sakura, had suddenly stopped and stiffened. His head was turned around, but his posture told Sakura that something was incredibly wrong.

Following his gaze, her eyes widened in horror.

"Sakura…"

"Sasuke-kun – don't tell me – is that – _an avalanche_," Sakura choked out.

Nodding his head, face filled with pain, Sasuke said, "All the snow from the storm must've been too much. Naturally, gravity pulls the snow down – and guess what? – we have an avalanche. Law of gravity. What goes up, must go down."

Still not pulling her green gaze from the slowly but steadily approaching avalanche, Sakura whispered with desperation, "There's no way we can outrun that, huh?"

Sasuke's silence was answer enough.

The avalanche was far enough that they had ten minutes – tops – before they were overwhelm by snow. Their journey back to safety would've taken at least another day or two– and Sakura was smart enough to realize that even if they did – by some miracle – reach the bottom of the mountain, unless they could find shelter in a hotel, they were still doomed.

She stared at Sasuke in dismay.

Sasuke stared right back at her with the same expression.

They both knew they wouldn't make it out alive.

There was simply no way.

Still speaking in a hoarse whisper, Sakura rasped, "Sasuke – we're not going to make it; you and I know it – so will you do me a last favor? For a childhood friend?"

Sasuke's eyes were unreadable. "What?"

"Lie to me. Lie to me just this once. Tell me you love me like you mean it."

A moment of silence followed, but then Sasuke replied with a simple "No."

The humiliation of the rejection still embarrassed Sakura, despite the fact that they were going to die in less than eight minutes anyway.

"Sorry –," Sakura began, flustered.

Sasuke cut her off.

"I won't lie to you, because I don't want to. I don't have to. I love you, Sakura. I don't need to lie about it. _I love you._"

And then he kissed her.

The kiss was rough, desperate, and Sakura was crying, but neither Sakura nor Sasuke cared. When they broke apart for air, Sakura sobbed, "It's not fair. I've loved you since second grade, had a crush on you since kindergarten. I don't want to die yet. I wanted going to be a doctor, and you a detective. We were going to have a happily ever after."

Sasuke ran his hand lovingly through her soft hair. "I love you too, Sakura, ever since junior high. I don't want to die either. And I know we could've been happy. But I've wasted so much time I could've spend with you, I'm not going to waste the last few minutes of my life regretting. If I'm going to die, I will die with you, Sakura, no matter what."

He kissed her again. Sasuke's arms wound around Sakura's waist, his hold firm and unyielding, while her hands gripped his neck and shoulder tightly, clutching him closer and closer.

And even when the snow finally engulfed them several minutes after, they did not break apart.

* * *

Author's Note: What do you think? Please leave a review! It's up to you readers to imagine the fate of Naruto and the others.

BTW, I will update Demonic War ASAP!


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